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Ashley Young, part-time winger, full-time diver – at least if the last two weekend’s matches are anything to go by. In each game, first against Queens Park Rangers and then former club Aston Villa, Young has ‘gone down easy’ to win Manchester United a crucial penalty. The seventh and eighth penalties Young has won this season.

Last weekend, against QPR, Young hit the deck after the mere brush of Sean Derry’s outstretched hand. True, the QPR midfielder made contact and, as such, a foul was committed, but was it enough to bring the £18 million signing down? Then on Sunday, against former club Villa, Young tumbled once again – this time over Ciaran Clark’s outstretched leg. There was less debate about the merits, or otherwise, of the foul, but Young’s theatrics won him few friends.

Yet, as many have opined on Twitter and other social networks, Young’s behaviour is not the ‘United way’, where diving has never been accepted. Indeed, Sir Alex Ferguson took the unprecedented step of admonishing his player in public after the Villa game when questioned if Young was now gaining a reputation for diving.

“Yes. In the last week or two, yeah. I’ve never seen that in him, it’s not a habitual thing in him,” claimed Ferguson.

“He was brought down, he just made the most of it. I think he played for the penalty. If the player decides to put his foot in and doesn’t stay on his feet and read the situation, he has fallen into the situation. But he’s definitely taken him. It was a dramatic fall. He overdid the fall, but it’s a penalty, there’s no doubt about that and I don’t think they can have any complaint because he has taken him.”

Yet, the real question is whether you, the United fan, can accept Young’s behaviour? After all, the winger has earned United goals over the past week at the same time as drawing a rash of negative headlines.

Manchester United kicks off the Europa League campaign against Ajax on Thursday, in what promises to be the glamour tie of the round. With 3,000 United fans heading out to Amsterdam it is a tie for supporters, but having crashed out of the Champions League in December, very much second best for Sir Alex Ferguson’s tie. Yet, with United out of the Carling and FA Cups already, the Europa League represents a realistic shot at silverware this season.

Ferguson claims that United will take the competition seriously, with a strong squad heading out of Manchester on Wednesday morning. But what about the fans… do you care about the Europa League?

Manchester United has suffered a December horribilis, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side dumped out of the Champions League, Nemanja Vidić ruled out for nine months after a shocking triple knee ligament injury, and now Darren Fletcher laid-low with a serious long-term bowel disease. While the European loss robs United of glory, and revenue, player absentees ensure Ferguson’s side is weaker for the Premier League season.

Fletcher’s absence means that Ferguson is down to just two fit senior central midfielders, with wingers, defenders and strikers expected to fill the void before Anderson and Tom Cleverley return at some point in 2012. Meanwhile, the loss of captain Vidić leaves United’s manager with Rio Ferdinand as his only experienced central defender. But should the United manager enter the transfer market in the coming window?

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates his 25th anniversary in charge of Manchester United on Sunday 6 November. In a remarkable period, Ferguson has overseen United’s triumph in 36 trophies. But, turning 70 in December, Ferguson’s clock is ticking towards its inevitable end. The great Scot says that, health permitting, he’ll last another three seasons, but who should replace Fergie when he finally calls it a day?

Back in 2002 when Ferguson ‘retired’ for the first time, United’s board was set to appoint Swede Sven Goran Eriksson. It was a dodged bullet. Current favourites for the post include, José Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and former Red Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Manchester United’s 6-1 defeat to City on Sunday afternoon will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side committed tactical suicide in a second-half performance that saw the Reds concede five in the worst home defeat for more than 50 years. The disastrous result, called the worst of his career by Ferguson, has media tongues wagging and fan forums packed with predictions of further woe this season.

Sir Alex Ferguson claims that Manchester United’s business in the transfer market is concluded for another summer. Having overseen a busy transfer window, Ferguson insists that United will now focus on youth, with bids for Arsenal’s Samir Nasri and Internazionale midfielder Wesley Sneijder shelved. Indeed, the 69-year-old Scot says that United’s central midfield future lies in Tom Cleverley and Paul Pogba’s hands.

“When you take that roll call of players, I’m certainly not looking to add to that. I’ve been saying that for weeks but you [the media] have all been writing differently – that I’m going to buy this one or that one. But we’ve said nothing, we just carry on with our business. You can forget [Sneijder] I’m happy with the young players I’ve got.

“We’re quite positive about [Pogba]. If we hold Paul Pogba back, what’s going to happen? He’s going to leave in a couple of years’ time when his contract is finished. We have to give him opportunities to see how he can do in the first team. He’s got the ability, the physique and the athleticism.”

Ferguson’s faith in youth comes despite bids for both Nasri and Sneijder this summer; the former having agreed to join Manchester City, and the latter unwilling to take a pay cut to join United. Meanwhile, Ferguson left 18-year-old Pogba with the reserves while United toured the States this summer.

The question, with Ferguson now declaring business finished for the summer and no central midfielder signed, is whether United is ‘net better’ than last season?

England international Ashley Young completed the formalities on a £15 million transfer last week, adding to Sir Alex Ferguson’s options in attack. The transfer caps a memorable year for 25-year-old former Watford player, who has broken into Fabio Capello’s England team after missing out on selection for the 2010 World Cup squad. However, despite the player’s progress with Aston Villa over the past 12 months not all Manchester United supporters are happy with the acquisition, questioning Young’s quality.

Moreover, with Nani and Antonio Valencia both preferring United’s right flank, Young will likely be used on the left – a position that Capello does not believe brings out the best in the new recruit. So, will the £15 million man be a success at Old Trafford or do the critics have it right?

Manchester United’s progression to the Champions League final, to be held at Wembley on 28 May, has surprised many; perhaps even some of Sir Alex Ferguson’s players. Despite the relative lack of ‘stardust’ in the United squad, in a season of turmoil surrounding star player Wayne Rooney, United has exceeded many expectations, including those of this website. Indeed, Ferguson must take huge credit for United’s progress to the final, with the team now greater than the sum of its parts.

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s “passing carousel,” to use Ferguson’s colourful description, has been described as the best football on the planet. It was far too good for United in the 2009 final in Rome. Some pundits have gone further and claim that the Catalan giant now boasts the best football team ever.

But in a season of surprises will United pull off another one and beat Barça in the final?

Manchester United seems to have settled on Atletico Madrid’s David De Gea as Edwin van der Sar’s Old Trafford successor. The brilliant but inexperienced 20-year-old Spaniard could arrive this summer for around € 20 million, although the player is reportedly unsure about such a high profile role this early in a fledgling career.

But with German Manuel Neuer opting for a move to Bayern Munich this summer, Tomasz Kuszack likely to leave the club, and Anders Lindegaard untested at the highest level, who should get the role?

Today’s Daily Telegraph claims that Sir Alex Ferguson has been handed “substantial funds” to improve Manchester United’s squad this summer. The article is one of several in recent weeks suggesting that the club will spend heavily after more than five years of parsimonious ownership under the Glazer regime.

History suggests that Ferguson will be handed funds solely to buy younger players who retain a sell on value, rather than established stars. Yet, British newspapers continue to speculate that high profile signings will join United, including Inter Milan’s midfielder Wesley Sneijder, goalkeeper David de Gea and Roma’s Daniele de Rossi. The Manchester Evening News was even moved to claim Ferguson has £165 million at his disposal.

The stories may or may not be with foundation. What is not in doubt: the source of the rumours, with United happy to let speculation mount ahead of June’s season ticket sales deadline.